Now, get fire safety certificates and licenses online

The state Fire and Emergency Services department on Wednesday introduced an online platform to issue fire safety certificates and licenses.

Sovan Chatterjee, the state Fire and Emergency Services minister, inaugurated the e-service that would make the task easier and faster at the headquarters of the department.

The minister said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken the initiative of e-governance soon after coming to power in 2011.

"She had inspired and directed all to introduce e-governance in every department. Following her direction, today (Wednesday) the state Fire and Emergency Services department is introducing the online platform to apply for fire clearances."

He further added: "People need to take clearances from the fire department before constructing a building, opening a shop, restaurants, hotels and etc. From today (Wednesday) onward they don't need to visit the offices of the department. Instead they can apply online from their homes." He said it would make the task easier and will get completed faster.

One just has to log into the existing website of the state Fire and Emergency Services department — https://wbfes.gov.in/wbfes/ — or one can also log into https://eservices.wb.gov.in to apply online for clearance from the department. One can apply for the fire safety recommendation, revision of fire safety recommendation, fire safety certificate, grants of fire licenses, fire selling cracker licenses, third party verification reports and renewal of all certificates.

An applicant needs to fill up all the necessary information that has been sought to get the certificate. The same will be scrutinised by the officials of the department and subsequently certificates will be given if the applicant has successfully complied with all the norms.

The payment of fees needed to be paid for the certificates or renewal can also be done digitally.

After inaugurating the online platform for applying fire safety certificates, Chatterjee further said: "The state Fire and Emergency Services department is taking various measures to ensure dousing of flames at any place in a better manner. At present, there are 127 fire stations in the state and work is on to take the total number to 200."

He also urged people to cooperate with the firefighters and praised the latter saying that they always do their best in controlling the flames, no matter how dangerous they are.